Highlights & Report | U18s battle back against Midtjylland but miss out on final

West Ham United U18s 1-1 FC Midtjylland U19s
NEXTGEN CUP, Group B, TC Strahov Pitch 1, Prague, Friday 8 August 2025, 2pm BST

West Ham United U18s were forced to settle for a point in their final Group B fixture at the 2025 NEXTGEN Cup, drawing 1-1 with FC Midtjylland U19s at Strahov Stadium, confirming a fifth-place play-off on Sunday morning at 9am BST.

Needing a two-goal victory to reach Sunday’s final, the young Hammers produced a valiant second-half display against a very physical opponent to level proceedings after falling behind in the first period.

Lauris Coggin’s side started brightly and almost took an early lead when Martin Peychev rattled the post after just five minutes. Connor Brooks proved a constant threat down the right-hand side, delivering dangerous balls into the area, while Joel Kerr and Reggie Morris linked well in advanced areas.

However, against the run of play, it was the Danish side who broke the deadlock on 31 minutes. Julius Emefile latched onto Sofus Johannesen’s through ball and, with a touch of fortune, saw his effort deflect off Emmanuel Onyeka-Fejokwu and wrong-foot goalkeeper Tommy Goodger.

Midtjylland almost doubled their lead before the break, but Goodger made a sharp save to deny Guilherme Olimpo da Silva and keep West Ham in the contest.

The second half began with more pressure from the Danish side, with August Rytter and Jens Munk both going close, but the introduction of Jephthah Medine and Andre Dike helped swing the momentum back in the Hammers’ favour.

Medine’s delivery from the left caused problems throughout the final stages, and with just over 15 minutes left, he provided a pinpoint cross for Dike to slot home at close range.

West Ham pushed hard for a second goal, which would have seen them leapfrog SK Slavia Praha U19s into second place, with Medine striking the post directly from a corner and Dike continuing to be a menace in the box. Yet, despite their late rally, the all-important winner wouldn’t come.

The result leaves the young Hammers third in Group B and heading into a fifth-place play-off at 9am BST on Sunday, where they will face their third-placed counterparts from Group A, Rangers or Southampton.

West Ham United U18s: Goodger, Jonyla (Scanlon 70), Onyeka-Fejokwu, Leacock (Kamara HT), Brooks (Perkins 60), Nwosu (Beckford 55), Unwin (Omotoye 70), Morris (©), Chigwada, Peychev (Medine 60), Kerr (Dike HT)
Subs not used: Hooper (GK), Smith

Booked: Jonyla

Goal: Dike 74

FC Midtjylland U19s: Holmgaard, Oppenhagen © (Rytter HT), Dias Lucas (Arnasson 60), Amini, Clement (Johannesen 23), Emefile, Alphinas, Catak, Gudjonsson (Krubally HT), Munk (Velasquez 60), da Silva (Chiquemba 60)
Subs not used: Novrup (GK), Pimpong, Overgaard, Alase

Booked: Clement, Rytter, Chiquemba

Goal: Emefile 31

NEXTGEN CUP Group B